of glory upon the things of this world that they are gilded and varnish't over but in comparison of the greater glory they are not glorious at all though they that never saw any thing else as glorious but the things of the world yet thou that hast seen the greater glory shouldst not account these things glorious Oh therefore Christians lift up your hearts to Henven and let your Conversations be in Heaven Though God hath so ordered it that you must live here a while and must be content for indeed to some Christians that have their Conversations in Heaven it 's a great part of their self-denial and of their subjection to God to be willing to live upon the earth and to stay from Heaven till Gods time come This is a riddle and a mystery to many that it should be a part of our Salvation Obedience yea of Self-denial though they had Crowns of Glory though they were Kings and Princes here in this world to be willing to stay here We might come to attain this if our Conversations were in Heaven and our hearts there As we reade of Daniel though God so ordered it that he could not live at Jerusalem where the Temple was yet he would open his window towards Jerusalem he would ever be looking that way And so though God hath so ordered it that we cannot come yet to live in this Heavenly Jerusalem bodily and in that full way as hereafter we expect to do yet we should open our window our eyes and the doors of our hearts should be open towards Heaven I remember I have read of Edward the First King of England that had a mighty mind to go to Jerusalem but because he could not go for death prevented him he gave charge to his Son to carry his heart thither And so it should be with us we should endeavour to have our hearts there and to have as much of Heaven as we can though we cannot be there our selves in nature Every creature hath put into it by the God of nature an instinct to move to its proper place as now because the proper place of fire is above there is an instinct of nature in fire to ascend to its proper place And the proper place of earth is below and therefore it will fall down to the Center a heavie thing that hath much earth in it though it breaks its self to pieces yet it will fall down towards its Center and so it will be with a Christian though he break himself to pieces whatsoever he suffers yet he hath an instinct to carry him to his proper place fire because its proper place is above if it be kept down by violence what a mighty power there is in fire to make way for its self that it may get up that 's the very reason of the mighty force that there is in Guns because there is fire in the pouder that is kept in when the pouder is once fir'd because the fire would get up above therefore it breaks with violence and if it cannot have vent to get out it breaks any thing in the world for it must out that it may get up to it 's own place and so it should be with a Christian there should be a strong impetiousness to get up to his own place that would be an evidence indeed that Heaven is thy proper place Oh Christians lift up your hearts and let your Conversations be in Heaven CHAP. XIV An Heavenly Conversation is a convincing Conversation I Shall not need to come again and tel you what Heavenly Conversation is it hath been opened at large to you but for the setting an edg upon this Exhortation First Know That a Heavenly Conversation will be a very convincing Conversation then you will convince men that you have somwhat more than they have when they see you live Heavenly for the men of the world they know the things of the world are the things that their hearts are upon and that which they mind but now when they see those that professe Religion mingle themselves with the earth as they do then they will think that they are acted by the same principles that themselves are but now Heavenly Conversations will convince them when they behold them walking above in the whol course of their lives when they see an evenness and proportion in their course take them at all times and in all businesses they carry themselves as men of another world As a man that is a stranger to a place may for a while act it so as he may seem to be one that is a native in the place but one that is born in the place will go nigh to find him out in one thing or other and so 't is very hard for men to carry themselves so if they have not true grace though they appear sometimes to be very Heavenly yet one that is a true Citizen of Heaven will discern them at one time or other if they have not grace yea the truth is carnal men wil discover themselves that they are born of the earth and are of their Countrie his speech betrais him he is a Giliadite But when Christians shal in their constant way have their Conversations in Heaven then their Cōversations are very convincing There are the Raies of Heaven about them they have the lustre of Heaven shining wheresoever they go and in all company surely such a man seems to be in Heaven continually So it will force it from the very Consciences of men to say Certainly these are the Citizens of Heaven if there be any Denizens of the new Jerusalem while they live upon the earth these they are I remember it 's said of that Martyr Dr. Taylor That he did rejoyce that he ever came into the prison to be in company with that Angel of God Mr. Bradford Mr. Bradford's Conversation it was Angel-like like an Angel of Heaven and did convince almost every where where he went Oh! 't is of great use that Christians should live convincing Conversations You know what Dives said to Abraham That he would have one sent to warn his brethren that they might not come to that place saith Abraham They have Moses and the Prophets Oh but saith Dives If one rise from the dead they would hear him I may say thus If God should send one from Heaven to live among men and to preach to them surely they would regard him Would it not be a great benefit to the world if God should send some one Saint from Heaven or Angel to converse in a bodily way among us Truly Christians should live so as if they came from Heaven every day as if they had been in Heaven and conversing with God When they go to perform duty in a morning and get alone between God their souls they should never leave striving till they get their hearts so in Heaven and get themselves upon the Mount so as when they come down to their family their very
Apostasie 't is the example of Demas For Demas saies the Apostle hath forsaken me what 's the matter having loved this present world It was that that made Demas to be an Apostate why what was Demas before compare this Scripture with that you have in the Epistle to the Colossians and you shal see what he was before this time he was a forward Disciple of Paul and the Apostle had some good esteem of him in the last to the Colossians 14. vers mark there in that Epistle where Paul was directed by the holy Ghost Luke the beloved Physitian and Demas greet you Paul doth rank Demas here among the famous Professors of Religion the Apostle writing to the Colossians saith Demas greets you among the rest When we send to our friends and say Such a one commends him to you we use not to name them except they be entire friends So it appears and I find that Interpreters severally do think it was the same Demas and the word gives us some ground for this for in Timothy you find that he names Luke there too It seems that Demas and Luke were two great Assossiates and Paul mentions them together when Demas had forsaken him yet Luke rode with him and when Paul sends them greeting of Luke that was the beloved Physitian he sends the greeting of Demas too But now one was truly godly and whatsoever sufferings Paul met withal one cleaved to him and would not forsake him But when Paul begins to suffer and Demas thought that there 's no thriving for me if I should follow this persecuted Apostle Demas now would have no more of Paul he thanks him for his company and fairly departs from him He hath forsaken me and what 's the root of it He had imbraced this present world And that 's another note that though he was a forward Proffessor yet the heart of Paul was not so much for him for saith he Luke the Beloved Phisitian and Demas great you He doth not say the Beloved Demas it 's true Demas was a forward Proffessor and did seem to wear a cloak of Religion yet Paul was directed by the holy-Ghost only to speak of him as a Proffessor but in that the holy-Ghost directs him to speek of two together that were two companions and gives one an Epethite Beloved and the other only his name By this we may gather that those that have discerning spirits may shew some kind of sign in those that are earthly at least to darken their esteem of them and to make them somwhat jealous of them as now ther 's two men and both very forward and two companions together yet those that are godly old Disciples can savour one more than the other Indeed they are both Proffessors and both have excellant parts and gifts and yet there 's more spiritualness and greater experiences in one than in the other so it appears there was in Luke rather than in Demas and indeed your earthly-minded men afterwards prove to be Apostates usually before their grand Apostasy do manifest some deadnesse and waywardness of spirit to that that 's good yea their spirits before discover themselves to be earthly spirits they smell of the earth As a man before he dies his breath will smell very earthly you will say Oh! such a one cannot live his breath is so earthly so it is with those that are very great proffessors of Religion that those that have intimate acquaintance with them before they do Apostatise they smell their breath to be earthly in their duties in their conferences Oh take heed of earthly-mindedness least it be the root of Apostasie This may be written upon many an Apostates grave This was an earthly minded man or woman in the midest of their profession And hence it is that they fell off from the truth in times of danger when they were brought to the tryal they were base back sliders from God and his truth The Ninth Evil. Earthly-mindednesse doth wonderfully dead the heart in prayer It sinks the spirits of men and straightens them in spiritual duties yea and indeed doth defile every duty of Religion in the 119. Psal 37. ver David you shall find paryes there to God That he will turn away his eyes from beholding vanity and that he would quicken him in his law Certainly by the vanity that he speaks of there he means the things of the world and by his eyes he understands the eyes of his mind chiefly the working of the thoughts of his heart after earthly things for if you will cast your eyes but to the 36. verse faith he there Incline my heart to thy testimonies and not to covetousness Oh Lord let not my heart be inclined to covetousness afterwards Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity to the end that my heart may not be inclin'd to covetousness Lord let not my thoughts be busied about such vain things but quicken me in thy Law as if he should say Lord while my mind is turned to vanity or my heart to covetousnesse after the things of this earth I alwaies find my spirit dull and heavy in any holy duties I have no quickness at all in my inward man when I come in thy presence and by experience I find this to be the cause that my heart is so drossie because my thoughts and mind are set upon earthly things that are but vanity therefore Lord let not mine heart be inclin'd to covetousness nor mine eyes looking after vanity but turn away mine eyes from these things and quicken me in thy Law If you would have your hearts quicken'd in Gods Law in the Duties that God sets you about take heed of your eyes that they look not after vanity your hearts that they follow not after covetousnesse for an earthly spirit will be a dead spirit as the element of earth it 's the sluggishest and deadest element of all so earthlinesse in the heart makes the heart sluggish and dead and listlesse to any holy and spiritual duty I appeal to your consciences in this when you have let out your hearts after the things of this earth and been exercised in the world in abundance of businesses when you have come to enjoy communion with God Oh! how dead have you found your hearts a drossie heart must needs be a dead and a straight heart in heavenly exercises you complain many times of your vain thoughts in performance of holy duties you cry out of dead spirits then but there lies the cause you have given your hearts up so much to the things of the earth at other times and hence when you should come to have converse with God your hearts are so dead and dull straight as they are look at this to be the ground of it this is the great root of all it lies here in your earthly-mindednesse Oh! how many prayers have been quite spoil'd with an earthly heart whereas such as have had spiritual hearts have enjoyed blessed communion with
thing or to have any delight in any thing in this world when there is a sutable object to the facultie that 's his Communion with the Creature As now a Drunkard there is a kind of Communion that he hath meerly with lude company and with the creature to please his sence for a while there 's all the communion that he hath But what a different Conversation is this for one meerly to please his sence in meat and drink a little while and another to have communion with Father Son and holy Ghost The Saints here in this world have not an Imaginary but a Real Communion with the Father Son and holy Ghost Communion you will say what 's that By Communion with God we mean this The acting of the soul upon God and the receiving in the influence of the goodness and love and mercy of God into the soul When there is a mutual acting of the soul upon God and God upon the soul again as when friends have Communion one with another that is that one acts for the Comfort of the other there is a mutual imbracing and opening of hearts one upon another for the satisfying of the Spirits one of another So communion with God is the mutual actings of the soul upon God and God upon the soul again The Saints they see the face of God and God delights in the face of the Saints And they let out their hearts to God and God lets out his heart to them We cannot expresse this to strangers a stranger shall not meddle with this joy this is a mystery a riddle to the carnal world Do but you consider this that what Communion you have with your lude company to sit and eat and drink and play and tell stories all day long this you think is a brave life but now that the communion of the Saints is raised higher and the comfort of the Saints is not in such poor low base things as thine is the Saints have comfort in God the Father Son and holy Ghost in an infinite higher way and in that respect their Conversations are said to be in Heaven And especially when they are with God in his Ordinances they cannot be content except they have Communion with God there it 's notenough for them to call upon the Name of God to kneel down and to use some humble broken hearted expressions Oh but what communion have I with God and Jesus Christ and the holy Ghost in my duties at this time I come to the Word and other Ordinances Oh! but what communion have I with God in them I cannot be satisfied except I tast and see how good the Lord is I cannot go abroad about my businesse but with a heavy heart except I hear some thing from Heaven this morning all the comfort of their lives do depend upon this in having communion with Father Son and holy Ghost Fourthly Their Conversation may be said to be in Heaven Because they do live according to the Laws of Heaven They do not here in this world live according to the Laws of men the lusts of men but they look for their direction from Heaven What rule is there from Heaven to guide me There must be some word from the God of Heaven to order and guide them in their waies or else they cannot tell how to sute with them Indeed while they live in the Cities of the world they must obey the Laws of men but still it is in order to the Laws of Heaven the main thing that they submit to is the Statute Laws of Jesus Christ the great Law giver because there is a Law of Heaven that doth require them for to obey the Laws of men that are according to those Laws of Heaven therefore they do obey them but the Laws of Heaven are those that the Saints look after for their direction in all their waies such and such a thing I have a mind to but will the Law of Heaven justifie me in this have I any word from Jesus Christ to guide me in such a way I dare not do otherwise than according to the Will and Scepter of Christ they must be my rule in all my waies whereas before thy lust was thy rule and thy own ends thy rule and the common course of the world thy rule but now the Laws of Heaven are thy rule and therfore their Conversations are in Heaven because they are guided by the Laws of Heaven Heaven is their aim They are acted by heavenly Principles They converse with the God of heaven And then fourthly They live according to the Laws of heaven Fiftly Their thoughts and hearts are set upon heaven as he saith The soul is where it loves rather than where it lives where the heart is there 's the soul there the man may be said to be Now the Saints have their hearts in heaven their thoughts in heaven their meditations in heaven working there When I awake I am alwaies with thee saith David And Oh how sweet are the thoughts of heaven unto the Saints While thou art mudling in the world and plodding for thy self in the things of this world If God should come to thee and say Where art thou as he said to Adam yea sometimes while thou art at prayer and hearing the Word Where are thy thoughts and about what even as we say in the proverb are running about a Wool-gathering But now come to one whose Conversation is in Heaven he keeps his thoughts and meditations there continually meditating on the glorious things that are reserved in Heaven As I remember I have read of that holy man Mr. Ward that being in the midst of a dinner and people wondering what he was a musing about he presently breaks out For ever for ever for ever for almost half a quarter of an hour he could not be still'd but he cries for ever for ever for ever So far as any man or woman hath their Conversation in Heaven their thoughts are there thinking Oh eternity eternitie to be for ever in Heaven to live for ever with Christ and God and Oh the Crown of glory that is there when will that blessed day come when I shall come to enjoy those good things that are there his thoughts will be there and he is longing to be there his love and desires and affections will be working there It 's said of the people of Israel Acts 7. 39. That their hearts turned back again to Egypt they never returned in their bodies to Egypt but their hearts were there they would fain have the Onions and Flesh-pots that were in Egypt their hearts were there So it may be said of many that though they come and hear the Word yet their hearts are in their shops their hearts are after their covetousness but it 's contrary with the Saints Though they live here in this world yet their hearts are in Heaven As I remember it 's written of Queen Mary that she said If they rip'd her open
It will cause an abundant enterance into the Kingdom of Heaven When they come to die Oh how joyfully wil they die what abundant enterance will be made into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ For when they die they shall but change their place they shall not change their company they shall but go to their Fathers house to be partakers of those mansions Christ before hath prepared Oh my brethren labor to have your Conversations in Heaven and know that this is not a matter only that concerns eminent Christians but all Christians and see how the Apostle charges this upon the Thessalonians 1. Epistle 2. 11. As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a Father doth his children that you would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory That is That you would walk in a Conversation answerable to the glorious Kingdom of God that you are called to according to your high calling we should walk worthy of it We are charged so to do and as it 's said concerning Christ in the Gospel by Saint John he spake concerning himself But the Son of man which is in Heaven So it should be said of every child of God such a one that is in Heaven not only such a one that shall go to Heaven but that is in Heaven for the present CHAP. XXII Seven Rules or Directions how to get Heavenly Conversation BUt you will say How should we do to get this our Conversasation to be in Heaven it's an excellent Conversation indeed Oh that we might attain unto it The First Rule First Take this Rule Be perswaded that it is attainable Let Christians conclude thus with themselves it is possible for me to live a life of Heaven while I am upon the earth There is a Heaven to be got it will mightily stir up the spirit of a Christian if he do beleeve this I may live in Heaven here with God and Christ and his Angels and Saints there are some that have attain'd to this and how have they attain'd to it not by their own strength they were men subject to the same infirmities that you are even Paul himself that had his Conversation in Heaven was subject to many infirmition But through the strength of Christ he can do all things he was nothing in himself reade but the 7. of the Romans Paul saith there of himself that he was even sold under sin and when he would do good evil was present with him and he was led captive and he found a Law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind and he had many corruptions and was feign to have a prick in the flesh a messenger of Satan to humble him and he spake of this Heavenly Conversation not only that he had it himself but writing to the Philippians they attain'd to it they were a Church that were very spiritual but were but poor and mean in respect of some others and they had not those eminent gifts that the Corinthians had and yet the Philippians had their Conversations in Heaven therefore it is a thing that is attainable The Second Rule Secondly If you would get your Conversations in Heaven Labor to keep a cleer conscience keep a Heaven in your conseience Those men that do fully and defile their consciences they lose their intercourse with Heaven and indeed the presence of the God of Heaven is tedious to them they be loth to go into his presence when once they have defiled consciences If there be a Hell in a mans conscience there will not be a Heaven in his Conversation but let men and women labor to keep conscience clean and a Heaven there and then there will be a Heaven in their Conversations The Third Rule Watch opportunicies for Heavenly exercises though you have much business in the world watch time You that are servants you should not indeed neglect your Masters business for you may serve God in the work of your Master but yet you must watch opportunities get alone and if you cannot have any long time let it be so much the frequenter watch all opportunities for Heavenly exercises for meditation for prayer for reading for conversing with God Oh! we might get many opportunities to get our souls in Heaven if we would but watch and those that are diligent to watch opportonities for Heavenly exercises and prize opportunities for them they are the men and women that will come to attain to a Heavenly Conversation that do not ' make it as a light matter whether they have converse with God or no in holy duties Christians that would have their Conversations in Heaven they must look upon their opportunities for Heavenly exercises they eye them as that wherein much of the joy and comfort of their lives consists The Fourth Rule Forget not this in the next place I speak now to Christians that would feign have their Conversations in Heaven I say to you Take heed and be careful that you rest not in formallity watch to get opportunities but be not formal in duties in them Oh! this will mightily darken your Conversations it will make them very earthly there will be no beauty at all in them if you come to rest in formallity in holy performances There 's many Christians that we hope may have some good at the bottom yet growing to a form in Religion they never honor their profession they have little comfort to their own souls they go on in a dead hearted condition they know not what it is to have communion with God Oh beware of that that we are all by nature subject too those that have enlightenings of conscience they dare not but take opportunities for Heavenly duties but then comes in the temptation of the Devil and the corruption of our own hearts when I have done my task then it 's over I have prayed I but you have been in Heaven that while what converse with God have you had there Oh take heed of formallity it will exceedingly hinder your Conversation But now a Christian though of never such weak parts can but chatter to God and speak a few broken words and half sentences yet if he doth not rest in formallity he may have much converse with God whereas others that have excellent parts yet resting in the work done never knows what the meaning is of having a Conversation in Heaven The Fifth Rule Labor to beat down your Bodies That is take heed of making provision for the flesh beware of sensual lusts how came Paul to have his Conversation in Heaven saith he I beat down my body The word is Black and blue club'd it down as if he should say This body of mine would draw my heart aside from spiritual things and make me earthly and sensual I wil keep down my body I will not give that satisfaction to the flesh and body so as to strengthen any temptation that should
this work I can do nothing without thee Lord and let me have assistance from thee Whereas the wicked they make flesh their arm and therefore there 's a curse pronounc'd against them in Jer. 17. 5. verse they are strangers to any such work as this of dependance upon God for assistance Now and then at a spurt they will say that God must help them and they can do nothing without God I but to have a holy gracious frame of spirit to walk in a holy dependance upon God for assistance in every businesse this is far from the wicked and ungodly Fourthly The soul walks in a holy dependance upon God for a blessing upon all it doth Walk before me and be upright I am thine exceeding great reward As if God should say to Abraham Walk in dependance upon me I am thy reward though thou hast little encouragment in the world yet look up to me for thy reward so when the soul turneth from men and the world and minds not so much what encouragement it hath from the world but looks up to God Lord I depend upon thee for a blessing and how ever things seem to go yet Lord I look up to thee for the bringing all to a good issue here 's now a soul walking with God Walking with God makes a man free and ready in the waies of God Seventhly One that walks with God in all his waies of Holiness and Obedience his heart is free in him he comes off readily to every good work he is not hall'd and pull'd to God but he walks with him There 's a great deal of differenet between one that is dragged after another as if you should drag a prisoner that hath no mind to go that way and another that walks up and down with delight and pleasure with you 'T is not enough to walk with God for to be in the way that God would have you to be or to do the things that God would have you to do except your hearts do come off freely in the waies of obidience except there be a cheerfulness in the waies of obedience except you choose the waies of holiness as the waies that are most sutable to you this is the walking with God In the 119. Psal 45. I will walk at liberty saith David for I seek thy precepts It 's a notable Scripture The men of the world they think that there is no walking at liberty but for them to satisfie their defires to the uttermost to walk after their lusts which is the Scripture phrase No but saith David my liberty is this I seek thy precepts A carnal heart thinks it is the greatest bondage in the world for to seek the precepts of God and to conform to Gods precepts that I must walk according to rule that 's a bondage No I 'le walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts It 's an excellent argument of grace in the heart to account the precepts of God to be the greatest liberty to the soul When I am in the waies of sin I am in the waies of bondage I am a slave to Satan but when I seek thy precepts I am at liberty As a man when he is walking up and down in the fields he is at liberty So when the soul is walking with God it is at liberty but when the soul is walking without God it is in a dungeon a prison but I say when it walks with God it is at liberty it comes off freely in all the waies of obedience Walking with God consists in Communion with God Eighthly Walking with God consists in the Converse and Communion that the soul hath with him in holy duties There are the special walks of the soul with God and of God with the soul in the duties of holy Worship In the 18. of Levit. 4. saith the Lord there Ye shall do my Judgments and keep mine Ordinances to WALK therein I am the Lord your God You must Walk in Gods Ordinances the Ordinances of God they are the Walks of a gracious soul and there the soul meets with God in the 26. of Levit. 11 12. It 's a notable Scripture to shew that in Gods Ordinances there the soul meets with God And I will set my tabernacle amongst you and my soul shall not abhor you that is shall delight in you And I will WALK among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people I will set my Tabernacle amongst you What 's that That is mine Ordinances you shall enjoy mine Ordinances you shall have the duties of my Worship and I will Walk among you then God walks among us when we enjoy his Ordinances So that you see in the 18. of Levit. there God saith You shall walk in mine Ordinances the Ordinances are the godly mans walk then in the 26. of Levit. the Ordinances are Gods walk so that we see they walk the same way and there God and a gracious heart meet together The Churches enjoying Ordinances are the Candlesticks that we reade of in the 1 of Revel 13. In the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks was one like unto the son of man cloathed with a garment down to the feet and gird about the paps with a golden girdle The Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst of the Candlesticks that is in the midst of the Churches where there are the Ordinances of God there he is and if you would walk with him you must find him there in the 68. Psal 24. there likewise you may see what the way of a gracious heart is in walking with God They have seen thy goings O God even the going of my God my King where in the Sanctuary If you would walk with another you must know where his goings are observe where he uses to walk and be going there They have seen thy going O God even the goings of my God my King in the Sanctuary there 's the goings of God if you would meet with God and walk with him it must be in the Sanctuary it must be in his Ordinances In the 7. of Cant. 5. verse it is said That the King speaking of Christ is held in the galleries now what 's that but in the Ordinances that 's as it were the galleries of the great King of Heaven and Earth And you know Princes and great men they have their sumptuous galleries wherein they use to walk and only chief favourites are permitted and suffered to be there to walk up and down The King is HELD in his galleries that is when Jesus Christ is in Communion with his Saints in his Ordinances in the duties of Worship Oh 't is the most pleasant galleries to walk in that he hath it 's as pleasant a gallery as he hath in Heaven it's self Oh! he loves to be there The King is Held there Oh! many a sweet and comfortable turn hath a gracious heart in these galleries that is in the Ordinances and Duties of Worship in walking with Jesus Christ When
the soul is exercised in the Ordinances it hath converse with Christ it hearkens what Christ saith and Christ hearkens what such a soul saith I will hearken what he will say and the soul knows the voice of Christ 5. Cant. 2. It is the voice of my beloved saith the Spouse Oh it knows what the voice of Christ is when they walk together in Ordinances Christ speaks to the soul and the soul knows his voice and the soul speaks again to Jesus Christ there is a blessed converse between them Christ lets himself into the heart and the heart opens its self to Christ Oh! the Communion that a gracious heart hath with Jesus Christ in Ordinances it is unspeakable Only those that are acquainted with it understand what the meaning of conversing with God there means It is with many even as it was with Adam that when God came to walk in the garden we read that he was hid in the bush The Ordinances and Duties of Worship are as Paradice as Eden and God comes many times to walk with us and would feign have communion and converse with us yet Oh! how many times are many of his servants hid in the bush they have walked loosly and contracted some guiltiness upon their spirits and so the presence of God is terrible to them and the more the voice of God and the presence of God is in an Ordinance the more they are afraid because of some guiltinesse they are intangled in the bush when as they should be conversing with God Oh the difference that there is between some Christians and others in the exercising themselves in the Duties of Worship There are some that when they are worshiping of God Oh what sweet and blessed terms have they with God and Communion between God and their souls and others though it may be they have some good in them yet they are intangled in the bryars of the world and though God be in the midst of his Ordinances yet they have no converse no communion with him at all Walking with God causeth the soul to follow God more as be reveals himself more The Ninth Particular is this The soul that walks with God as God reveals himself unto it still more and more so it follows God more and more and still seeks to glorifie God more and more that 's walking There is a progresse in the waies of godliness where there is a walking The soul when first it is led by the hand of Jesus Christ to God and comes and walks with him Oh 't is sweet and comfortable but still as God reveals himself more and more to the soul so the soul still grows up in godlinesse more and more and still is more holy and more gracious and honours God more in the Conversation of it than formerly it hath done it gets neerer and neerer to Heaven every day this is to walk with God There 's a notable Scripture in the 63. Psal 8. David saith there My soul follows hard after thee O Lord thy right hand upholdeth me As a poor child that is walking with the father it may be he is weak and cannot go so fast as it doth desire but the father puts forth his hand and takes hold of him and so upholds and strengthens the child and it follows hard after the father so 't is here Oh Lord thy right hand upholds me If it did not uphold me I could not walk but thy right hand upholds me and then my soul follows hard after thee and so increases in godliness more and more I will praise thee more and more saith David in another place speaking of the honor that he disir'd to give to God in his way he profess'd he would still ad to the praise of God and praise him more and more These are the principal things wherein walking with God consists Now to all these take in that consideration that we have mentioned all along and that makes it up That all these are in a constant course of a mans life This walking with God Some other men that know not what it is to walk with God perhaps they may come and walk a step or two in Gods waies but they quickly turn out again and they find them tedious and irksom to them But the heart that walks with God doth all this that I have named That is Eyes God in all his waies Behaves its self as in the presence of God Walks in the same way God doth Observes Gods designs And so likewise the rest and all this in the constant course of his life It 's true Through the violence of some temptation there may chance to be a step astray or there may be perhaps some fall in the way but still the heart is God-ward and still is towards God it gets up again and walks again in the way it doth not meerly go a step into the way of God as some carnal men do it may be somtimes when Gods hand is upon them or upon the hearing of some Sermon then their hearts are a little touch'd and they seem to be a little froward but take the constant course of their lives and it 's in the way of sin But the constant course of the waies of the Saints are in the waies of God As now a Swine may go through a fair meadow I but that 's not the place that it doth so much regard but it would be in the mire and dirt and there it wallows So it is with many wicked men they will come and hear and pray and do some good duties this is a Swine in a meadow but when they come to those waies that may satisfie the lusts of the flesh there they wallow that 's their proper place and therefore far from walking with God A begger will perhaps follow a man a little way so long as he hath hopes of getting any thing by him but if the man goes still away from him he turns aside to another way he will go no further along with him so 't is with many men even many professors they would seem to follow God perhaps for comfort and for something that they would have from him but if they cannot find presently what they would have from God then they turn aside whereas I beseech you observe this the difference between a friends walking with another out of delight of Communion with him and a begger that only goes along with another man begging for an alms The man that goes along begging for the alms he doth not regard the company of this man any further than he may have hopes of an alms from him if he cannot have what he would have or if he have once what he would have he turns aside from the man But a friend that is walking with his friend that that satisfies him is the company of his friend and the converse that he hath with him while he is walking and so he goes on in a constant way and walks to the end of
wantons of our age the wantons that are in our generation that do allure them through the lusts of the flesh and promise liberty to them for so the text saith While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption THEMSELVES Mark those that promise them liberty and bring such Doctrine of liberty to you they Themselves are in the mean time the servants of corruption Oh take heed of declining to the waies of the flesh after thou hast seem'd to begin in the spirit what hast thou to do in the way of Asher and in the waies of Egypt Oh thou that heretofore didst seem to converse with God and to walk with him what iniquity hast thou found with me saith God So what evil hast thou found in the waies of God Do you find them too difficult for you Oh it is through the baseness of thy heart because thy heart is not changed and made sutable to that that is spiritual and holy Oh that the Lord would be pleased to cause his Angel to meet with some that are declining from his good and blessed waies as we read in the book of Genesis That the Angel met Hager when she was flying from Abrahams family from the Church of God and saith he Hager Sarah's Maid from whence camest thou doest thou come from Abraham's family art thou going from thence and where dost thou think to find so much good as in Abraham's family where the presence of God is So Oh that God would meet with such as are declining from the good waies of God Oh thou soul whither art thou going thou that hast had the Word working upon thy heart and thou wert seem'd to be turned into the good waies of God whither art thou going are these the waies that are like the former waies that thou hast seem'd to walk in Oh what will be the end of these waies that now thou art in Indeed they do give contentment unto the flesh more than former waies but doest thou think that the end of them will be peace Oh that there were such a messenger from God to meet thee in those waies that thou art walking in that thou maiest say as the Church doth in the 2. of Hosea 7. verse I will return to my first husband for then it was better with me than it is now I was wont to have more peace comfort and sweetnes in conversing with God in holy duties than now I find I will return to those waies of God howsoever many loose professors seem to make a scorn of them and deride them but Lord I am sure I found more sweetness in them then than now well I will return to them and labor to walk in them The Eighth Rule or Direction Or if thou beest declined Labor to keep a tenderness of spirit so aâ— to be sensible of the beginnings of declining It 's true we have a great deal of corruption while we remain here in this world and our hearts are drawn quickly from the waies of God I but if we could keep a spirit sensible of the beginnings of declining we might yet keep our walk with God That so soon as we are got but one step from God if we did but begin to bethink our selves where are we what are we doing Oh this would cause us to return and not to go so far off from God For a man to go far from God is very dangerous for then he begins to have many thoughts of dispair and so many times he growes even desperate in his course and gives up himself to excesse even to satisfie the lusts of the flesh with greedinesse There are some men that are convinced in their consciences that they are out of the way and though they be convinced of it yet still they go further and further off from God Why you will say is that possible Yes Because having once made profession of Religion and departing from God now the Devil follows him with dispairing thoughts he thinks now God will not receive him and accept of him upon his returning to him and therefore he is resolved that he will satisfie himself to the full and I verily beleeâ—â— this is the great reason why many Apostates turn so notoriously wicked as they do when you see a man that hath been forward in Religion and afterwards not only fall off but you shall find him to be a drunkard a whoremaster a scorner you may almost conclude that this is the very ground of it that though his conscience be convinc'd that he is out of the way yet he is in a desperate manner set to have his pleasure because he thinks God hath forsaken him and he hath forsaken God and his lusts he will have and poor creature that 's all that he hath to satisfie himself withal Oh take heed of getting far from God hearken to this you that are far from righteousnes as the Scripture speaks Oh it 's a terrible thing to be gone far from God labor to keep thy heart watchful of the beginnings of declining and be tender and sensible of them The Ninth Rule or Direction Labor to be spiritual in thy solitary times If you would walk with God prize much your solitary times and labor to be spiritual in them do not lose those times when you are alone when there 's none but God and your selves together And especially you that have much business in the world alas what little use do you for the most part make of your solitary times when you are alone you know not what to do but a man that would walk with God he had need be careful to be very spiritual there now I am separated from the world now I have to deal with God and mine own soul Oh! let me improve this and get advantage by this Oh! let me not be quiet till I get some converse with God Those Christians that are spiritual in their solitary times they will be very spiritual when they come into company As Moses when he was alone with God upon the mount and came down unto the people his face did shine so as they were not able to bear it Certainly those that are alone with God and are spiritual they will shine in holy conversation when they come down from the mount when they come to converse with others The Tenth Rule or Direction Let Gods presence be more to thee than all the world account it more engagement to thy soul that thou art with God that thou hast Gods presence with thee than though thou hadst the eye of all the world upon thee It would mightily compose the spirits of men and women if they had an awful reverence of the presence of God and did account it more than al the world besides and therefore to do nothing in Gods presence but what thou wouldest do in the sight of all the world or what thou maiest do so as thy conscience may not accuse thee for sin in it Oh look upon
faces may shine so that you may see by their Conversations that certainly they have been with God upon the Mount this day Now I appeal to you in this Do you live so as that your family and your neighbors may see that you have bin this morning in Heaven Every morning we should have some converse with Heaven which if we had our Conversations would be convincing all the day long and very profitable it would be to the world Christians that live Heavenly Conversations they are I say of very great use in the places where they live As I remember it 's said concerning Christ When he ascended up to Heaven he gave gifts to men And if we could oftener ascend up to Heaven we should be more able to be beneficial to the world CHAP. XV. An Heavenly Conversation is growing AN Heavenly Conversation is a growing Conversation Oh! they grow mightily they do thrive in grace exceeding much in a very little time they grow to attain to a very great measure of Communion with God the Father and with Jesus Christ and every day they grow more and more spiritual having so much of heaven within them It 's true when they come into Heaven they shall be perfect But now the fetching from Heaven is that that makes them grow it must be the influence from Heaven that must cause the grouth of Saints As now suppose that the ground upon which flowers and herbs grow be never so fertile in its self and the herbs or plants be never so well rooted in the earth yet if there be not an influence of heaven upon them they will not grow much nay not at all but quickly wither So it is with Christians let them have never so much means of growing below never so many Ordinances yet if they have not rich dews from above they wil not grow or if there be any growth yet either they wil bear no fruit or else it will be very shrifled and sowre fruit You know that fruit that hath the most of the beams of the Sun that comes from heaven upon it that fruit grows riper and sweeter than other fruit fruit that grows in the shade that hath the influence of Heaven kept off from it it is sowre fruit And the reason that the Saints have so little fruit and that it is so sowre it is because that they have not more influences from heaven they do not stand in the open Sun their souls are not presented dayly before God and have the warm beams of the Sun of Righteousnesse shining from Heaven upon them but there is something between Heaven and their souls but a Conversation in Heaven as it would be a Convincing Conversation so it would be a Growing Conversation CHAP. XVI An Heavenly Conversation brings much glory to God ANd then It would be a Conversation glorifying God much Oh! the Glory that God would have from a Conversation in Heaven Let your light so shine before men that others beholding your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Then indeed the Image of the God of Heaven is held forth when mens Conversations are heavenly the Lord takes much delight to have his glory to be dispensed abroad by his Saints to have some reflection upon the world As in a glasse though beams of the Sun do not shine upon a wall yet by a glasse you may take the beams of the Sun and cast the reflection of them upon a wal so those beams of the glory of God that shine in Heaven the Saints by their Heavenly Conversation may as it were by a glasse take them and reflect them upon the world and upon the faces of men the hearts of the Saints should be as a glasse taking the beams of the glory of God and casting them up and down where they are and so your Heavenly Father should come to be glorified by you Let every Christian think thus My Conversation is thus and thus but what glory do I bring to God by my Conversation do others glorifie God by beholding the lustre of the holiness of God in me do they see cause to blesse God that they see so much of the glory of God in me Certainly there is more of the glory of God shines in the gracious holy spiritual Conversation of a Christian than shines in the Sun Moon and Stars than in Heaven and Earth I mean for the works of Creation and Providence that are in Heaven and Earth the creatures that God hath made as the Sun Moon and Stars and here in this world the Seas the Earth the Plants and the like though they have much of the glory of God yet a Heavenly Conversation declares more of the glory of God than all these You know what the Psalmest saith The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament shew his handy work It may be spoken more fully of Heavenly Conversations the Heavenly Conversations of the Saints declare the glory of God and those that shine in the Firmament of the Church are stars for the Church is the firmament and the Saints be there as stars they declare the Handy work of God Now though its true As in Heaven there 's one star differs from another star in glory and so in Christians every one cannot attain to so much glory as another yet every one is a star the meanest Christian that lives the weakest Beleever that is yet should be as a star in the firmament though he cannot shine so gloriously as the Sun or as other stars yet there should be never a Beleever never a godly man or woman in the Church but should shine as a star in the firmament but should be as the Gospel is even a mirror wherein we might behold the glory of God in whom we may behold the glory of God even as it were with open face An Heavenly Conversation is a Conversation glorifying God CHAP. XVII An Heavenly Conversation bringeth much glory to the Sanits AN Heavenly Conversation it 's a Conversation that will bring much glory to your selves Though it's true that the Saints should aim at the glory of God most yet there will come glory to themselves whether they will or no if their Conversations be in Heaven it 's impossible but that in the conscience of men they should be honored walking in a Heavenly Conversation There 's an excellent Scripture that shews that in our glorifying of God we glorifie our selves also 2 Thess 1. 11 12. the Aplostle he praies for them Wherefore also saith he we pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this Calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power To what end That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ He praies for the Thessalonians That they might walk so that they might have so much of the grace